ACT 1-2  “我懂你的意思了。”

【故事梗概】

Grandpa和Robbie在說話的空，Alexandra來了。她來幫助Robbie準備他的數學考試。

Grandpa: It's hard for some older people to take all that noise. That's why the new community center is a good idea. Part of the building for older people, part of the building for younger people.Robbie: I see what you mean. [The doorbell rings.]Grandpa: That must be Nat.Robbie: It could be Alexandra. She's coming over this morning to help me with my math.[He answers the door.]Alexandra: Hi, Robbie.Robbie: Hi, Alexandra. Come on in. Do you want something cold to drink?Alexandra: I'd love some cola, please.Robbie: Cola coming up. I really appreciate you coming over to help me with my math. My final exam is next Tuesday.Alexandra: You're so good in all your other subjects. I just can't understand why you have so many problems with math.Grandpa: [He enters the kitchen. ] Hi, Alexandra.Alexandra: Hi, Mr. Stewart.Grandpa: I thought that was Nat Baker who rang the front doorbell. Don't let me interrupt you.Robbie: No problem, Grandpa. We're just having some cola before getting to the tough stuff -- math.

【語言點精講】

1. It's hard for some older people to take all that noise. That's why the new community center is a good idea. 要某些老年人忍受那樣的吵鬧聲是很痛苦的，因此建立新的社區中心是個好主意。take: 這里指忍受。That's why: 最好不要譯為“這就是為什么……”，因為漢語中不習慣用此說法。可以譯成“因此，正因為這樣”。community center: 社區活動中心。

2. I see what you mean.我懂你的意思了。

3. It could be Alexandra. She's coming over this morning to help me with my math.也可能是Alexandra，她今天上午要過來幫我學數學。could be: 表一種可能性。is coming over: 這是用現在進行時表將來，而這個動作通常是已經計劃好的。help sb. with sth.: 在某事上幫助某人。

4. I'd love some cola, please. -- Cola coming up.請給我點可樂。——可樂馬上就來。cola: 是“可樂”型飲料的簡稱。另一簡稱Coke只限于Coca-Cola，若明確指另一種時稱Pepsi。Cola coming up. : Robbie故意用飯館侍者的應答口吻，以示馬上遵命。

5. I really appreciate you coming over to help me with my math. My final exam is next Tuesday.我真感謝你過來幫我學數學，我星期二就要期末考試了。you coming over: coming在這里是動名詞，you coming是主謂關系的結構，作appreciate的賓語。雖然也可以說your coming，但在非正式英語中較少用，特別是在這個結構當句子賓語時用得更少。

6. I thought that was Nat Baker who rang the front doorbell. Don't let me interrupt you.我還以為前門按電鈴的是Nat Baker呢，別讓我打擾你們。I thought that was…: 這是一個很好的例子，說明“I thought + 賓語從句”常表示原來想的與事實不符。爺爺很尊重別人的隱私權，故在打擾了兩個孩子之后急忙表示歉意，并進行解釋。interrupt: 打攪，打斷。

7. No problem, Grandpa. We're just having some cola before getting to the tough stuff -- math. 沒關系，爺爺。我們喝點可樂就去研究那令人頭痛的問題—數學。No problem: 沒問題。近年的美國流行說法，用于別人道歉、解釋、請求等情況下，表示愿意為人辦事或不介意。the tough stuff: 令人頭痛的問題，棘手的問題，困難的東西。tough與hard大致相同，但tough更口語化。